Eastern Queens Woman Narrowly Escapes Rapist

A short, young guy suspected of attempted rape in the Laurelton neighborhood of eastern Queens is still on the loose, cops say. At about 5:30 p.m. last Saturday, March 12, the guy followed a woman into an apartment building in the area of 141st Avenue and Springfield Boulevard. He grabbed her butt, she resisted, and he threw her to the ground, pulled her pants down, and tried to rape her. Just then, however, one of the tenants opened an apartment door, and the violent jerk fled. He's described as 18 to 23, about 5-5, and wearing a black jacket, blue jeans, and a Northface backpack.